Storage device



Jan. 12, 1943. A. R. You@ 2,308,419

STORAGE DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 3 SheetsSheet 2 A. R. YOUNG STORAGE DEVICE Jan. l2, 1943.

5, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov.

Patented Jan. l2, 1943 STORAGE DEVICE Arthur R,.Young, Chicago, Ill., assignor of onehalf to .lames G. Fuller, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 5, 1938, Serial No. 238,960

11 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a storage device and more particularly to a device of this character of the breather type which is particularly adapted for storing gaseous fuels or volatile liquids and has for an important object the provision of such a device, the breather of which is constructed of interfolding or collapsing metal parts having a wide range of operation and the capacity of which is elastic and variable in accordance with variations in internal pressures therein.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the warping-and bending of metal parts is entirely eliminated and in which the material for sealing the junctions between metal parts is backed up by metal when under pressure.

With these and other objects which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein dis-` closed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are plan and elevational views respectively of a storage device embodying my invention, Fig. 2 being broken away in part to y illustrate certain details of construction;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing a small portion of the device in plan, and being broken away in' part to illustrate details of construction;

Fig. 4 is an elevational detail view, viewing Fig. 3 from below;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 in Fig. 4 showing details of construction;

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 in Fig. 3; and

Figs. 'I and 8 are the top and bottom portions respectively of a wall section as shown in Fig, 5 as it appears when extended.

To illustrate the invention, I have shown a storage device including a tank or body II, a top cover I2 therefor, and a breather construction or means forming an expansible connection between the body II and the cover I2 for permitting expansion of the storage device to increase the capacity thereof in accordance with an increase in pressure within said storage device.

The body II may be any tank, or container suitable for storing dry gases or volatile liquid such as may vaporize when exposed to air or in response to temperature present embodiment a cylindrical tank formed of sheet metal is illustrated; inforced by means of vertical columns 2| and a framework of beams 22 and 23 carried thereby. An annular sheet metal member 24 is secured to the beams 22 and to an annulus 25 of angular form secured to the top rim of the body II for reinforcing the rim. The member 24 and the annulus 25 are welded together and to the body II in sealed relationship or so that a sealed joint is formed.

The top cover I2 may be any suitable device for forming a closure and in the present embodiment I have shown a sheet metal plate 26 having a rolled angle 21 secured to the perimeter thereof by welding to reinforce the plate. The perimeter of the plate 26 is preferably of polygonal form.

The breather construction or means forming an expansible connection between the body II and the top cover I2 includes a plurality of wall sections 3| arranged end to end about the perimeter of the top cover I2 and forming a regular polygon having in the present embodiment eighteen equal sides. The number of wall sections forming the polygon obviously depends only upon the diameters of the body II and cover I2, and practical limitations.

The wall sections 3I are all alike and are formed of a plurality of sheet metal plates 32 and 33 having staggered sections of metal tubing secured to their opposite edges by welding, into which hinge pins may be inserted to form a series of inner. hinges 34 and a series of outer hinges 35. y

Similar sections of metal tubing are welded to the angle 21 forming a part of the cover I2 and to the annular sheet metal member 24 of the body II for cooperating to form the upper and lower hinges 34 of the inner series whereby the wall sections 3I are secured to the body II and to the cover I2.

The plates 32 and 33 are of equal dimensions, so that when collapsed to the position shown in Fig. 5, the inner hinges 34 will be arranged in a straight line drawn between the points of attachment to the body II and the cover I2, and suitable spacers are provided for holding the plates 32 andl 33 in substantially parallel and spaced relationship as shown in Fig. 5, such as spacers 36 secured to the plates 32 by welding and similar spacers 31 similarly secured to the plates 33.

changes,v and in the which is'internally re- In order to seal the junctions between the plates 32 and 33 and between these plates and the body and cover, a fabric sealing means is shown which may be a fabric of any suitable iibrous or stranded material impregnated with a suitable elastic material for rendering it impervious. Synthetic rubber has been found to be the most Apractical material for treating the fabric.

Strips 4l of the impervious material are arranged to cover the hinges 34 and 35 and are cemented in adhesive engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the plates 32 and 33 and with the member 24 and the angle 21 as illustrated in Figs. 3, 5, '7 and 8, and similar but larger strips lapping the junction between adjacent wall sections 3| are similarly secured to the plates 32 and 33 and to the member 24 and the angle 21 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. In the present embodiment these larger strips are formed of sections 42 and 43 butted and suitably secured together to form a continuous strip of sealing material. The sealing strips 4| are butted and sealed against the strips 42 and 43 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

In order to prevent the elastic or flexible strips 42 and 43 from bulging out between the wall sections 3l when they are extended toward the position illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8, metallic back-up plates 44 are secured to the plates 32, such as by welding, and similar plates 45 are secured to the plates 33. 'Ihese plates 44 and 45 are proportioned to cover the maximum gap between the plates 32 and 33 of the wall sections when collapsed as shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive.

Internal pressure obviously extends the wall sections 3| toward the positions illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 and raises the top cover l2 to increase the capacity of the storage device in accordance with the increase in internal pressure, such as may be caused by an expansion of volume or evaporation to increase the volume of gas content or by pump action and conversely the weight of the top cover l2 collapses the wall sections 3| in response to reductions in internal pressure.

It is thought that the foregoing detailed description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not to be taken as limiting the scope of the appended claims to which reference should be had in order to determine the true breadth of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for fluid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the container increased in response to internal pressure therein; said means including a series of substantially rigid, hingedly connected interfolding plates, and sealing means for sealing the junctions between said plates, body and top cover, said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a substantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous duid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

2. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for iuid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity o1' the container increased in response to internal pressure therein; said means .75

including a series oi' substantially rigid, hingedly connected interiolding plates, and internally disposed impervious fabric covering the `lunctions between said plates and being in sealing engagement with said top cover and said body, said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a substantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous fluid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

3. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for uid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the container increased in response to internal pressure therein; said means including hinged plates connected to form a polygonal extension of said body, and exible sealing means arranged to seal the junctions between said plates, said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a substantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous iluid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

4. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for iluid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part oi' said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the container increased in response to internal pressure therein; said means including hinged plates connected to form a polygonal extension of said body and to collapse' into overlapped relationship in response to a reduction in pressure in the storage device, and flexible sealing means arranged to seal the junctions between said plates, said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a substantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous fluid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

5. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for uid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top vcover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the container increased in response to internal pressure therein, said means including a series of wallsections arranged end to end and together forming a regular polygon, each one oi' said wall sections comprising. a plurality of substantially rigid, hingedly connected plates, and sealing means arranged on the inside of said wall sections for preventing leakage at the junctions said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a substantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous fluid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

6. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for fluid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the container increased in response to internal pressure therein, said means including a series o! wall sections arranged end to end and together forming a regular polygon,

each one of said wall sections comprising, a plurality of substantially rigid, hingedly connected plates arranged to fold one upon the other, and

sealing means for preventing leakage between said plates and the wall sections, said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a substantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous fluid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

'7. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for fluid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the container increased in response to internal pressure therein, said means including a series of wall sections arranged end to end and together forming a regular polygon, each one of said wall sections comprising, a plurality of substantially rigid, hingedly connected plates arranged to fold one upon the other, and impervious fabric providing a sealing means and arranged on the inside of said wall sections, said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a substantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous iiuid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

8. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for liquid, a top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the capacity thereof is increased in response to internal pressure therein, said means including a series of wall sections arranged end to end and together forming a regular polygon, each one of said wall sections comprising, a plurality of connected plates arranged to fold one upon the other, impervious fabric arranged on the inside of and extending between said Wall sections to provide a leaktight seal, and backup plates attached to the plates of said wall sections and arranged to lap with the plates of adjacent wall sections for backing up the fabric between the plates of adjacent wall sections.

9. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for fluid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the .container increased in response to internal pressure therein, said means including a series of wall sections arranged end to end and together forming a regular polygon, each one of said wall sections comprising, a plurality of plates hingedly connected to collapse together and upon the top of said body, one edge of said wall sections being attached to said body and another edge thereof being attached to said top cover, and sealing means for preventing leakage between said plates and the parts of the storage device, said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a sub'- stantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous fluid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

10. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for uid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the container increased in response to internal pressure therein, said means including a series of wall sections arranged end to end and together forming a regular polygon, each one of said wall sections comprising, a plurality of plates hingedly connected to collapse together and upon the top of said body, one edge of said Wall sections being attached to said body and another edge thereof being attached to said top cover, and sealing means for preventing leakage between said plates and the parts of the storage device including an impervious fabric covering secured in adhesive engagement .with said plates and lapping the hinge connections and onto said body and top cover, said plates being movable from a substantially horizontal collapsed position to a substantially vertical extended position and together forming in the latter position a substantially continuous uid-tight wall completed by said sealing means.

11. A storage device, comprising a body forming a container for liquid, a movable top cover therefor, and means mounted between said body and said top cover and forming an extensible part of said body whereby the cover may be raised and the capacity of the container increased in response to internal pressure therein, said means including a series of wall sections arranged end to end and together forming a regular polygon, each one of said wall sections comprising a. plu- 'rality of substantially rigid, hingedly connected plates arranged to fold one upon the other, impervious fabric arranged on the inside of and extending between said wall sections to provide a ieaktight seal, and back-up plates, one attached to each of the plates of said wall sections and arranged to lap with the corresponding plates of adjacent wall sections for backing up the fabric in the area between the latter plates.

ARTHUR R. YOUNG. 

